as in surname
a woman's last name before she is married
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
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Recent Examples of maiden name
The grandson of the benefactor whose maiden name christens the auditorium itself (The Fish Theater, which spawns a stream of awful fish puns as long as a whale), Jack was born into ballet and defends dance with every fiber of his being.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025
His wife of course retained her maiden name (Susan Connelly).
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
The lawsuit was filed on May 27 and lists Emilie as the plaintiff (though she is listed under her maiden name).
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
These policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials or shorten their first names.
—Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025
His wife of course retained her maiden name (Susan Connelly).
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
The lawsuit was filed on May 27 and lists Emilie as the plaintiff (though she is listed under her maiden name).
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
These policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials or shorten their first names.
—Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maiden name
Noun
-
As per hospital rules, the baby had been given her mom's surname, which, because of her refusal to take her husband's name, was LaBarre.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
-
Descendants include families with the surnames Nunn, Barrs, Womack and, possibly, Jones.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Legacy job titles and career paths are swiftly entering extinction, and will be entirely obsolete by 2030.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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God Will Not Help was among 17 titles announced on Tuesday as having been selected for Locarno’s International Competition alongside pictures such as Ben Rivers’ Mare’s Nest, Radu Jude’s Dracula and Abdellatif Kechiche’s Mektoub, My Love: Canto Due.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
The Trump Administration’s executive orders on nuclear energy gut regulation in the name of efficiency and cost-cuts.—
Time,
Time,
15 July 2025
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Buckwheat 6 grams per cup cooked; gluten-free; complete protein Despite its name, buckwheat, which originated in central and western China, isn’t actually related to wheat.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
15 July 2025
Noun
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The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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Having an alternative nickname adds a special flavor to the world-building, giving the film additional layers.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
The family name was Zhou (or Chou), which, in Chinese culture, comes first, as in the name of the late Premier Zhou Enlai.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
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The family name, Vajra, is an ancient way of spelling the family’s surname, Vaira.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Catholics are not the only faith group to speak out against this bill, with leaders from other Christian denominations as well as Jewish leaders voicing their opposition.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
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Despite its latest losses, the SBC is still the nation’s largest Protestant denomination by a longshot.—
Liam Adams,
The Tennessean,
4 July 2025
Noun
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The couple were already parents to son Wilbur, 2, and chose a meaningful middle name for their baby girl.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
9 July 2025
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Nelson's middle name, Hugh, was a nod to Mildred's brother who had recently died.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Foster carers like Tate and Katie, who only gave their first names, play an essential role in supporting animals in need.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 July 2025
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Some signed with only their first name or initials, while others signed anonymously.—
Rachel Wegner,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maiden name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maiden%20name. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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